Pretend
by Lauricula
Summary: The Malfoy's are at risk of losing everything they've ever known...respect, money and power. They're desperate for it back and they go to desperate measures for help. They're not happy, but their fate resides in the hands of Hermione Granger.
1. The Deal

~Prologue~

The Deal

The most unlikely group in the wizarding world sat a long, oak table basked in late afternoon sunlight. The Golden Trio sat across from the Malfoy's, with the Weasley family standing near by, glowering at Lucius. Draco Malfoy sat with a scowl and his arms crossed against his chest. Harry tried to refrain from snorting; it was like a flash back to first year Malfoy.

"We should begin." Lucius drawled, leaning forward.

Mr. Weasley stepped forward, his red eyebrows forming in to one.

"Relax, Weasley. Tension doesn't suit you." a smirk forming on his pale white face.

"Get on with it." Hermione spoke up, her tone icy.

Narcissa gave a small nod before Lucius began. "As you know, our reputation is non-existent. We have lost business partners...money...and respect." His tongue lingering on the last word.

Ron snorted, nudging Harry's elbow. "The git did that all on his own."

"How dare-" Narcissa hissed, leaning forward in her chair.

"Narcissa, it's quite alright. The words of a blood traitor mean nothing to me." he muttered, keeping eye-contact with Ron who was now grinding his jaw.

Lucius's icy glare returned to a state of indifference as he turned to face the grumpy group. "Narcissa and I have discussed and analyzed our situation, and we decided that as a way to show a change in our beliefs and morals that Draco needs to date a Mud-Muggleborn." he spoke in a very matter-of-fact voice.

Howls of laughter echoed throughout the hall. Narcissa narrowed her eyes with disdain as Lucius gritted his teeth. "This is _not _a laughing matter."

Mr. Weasley wiped away a stray tear. "You can't be serious."

"There's no way..." Harry spoke sternly, staring down Draco.

Mrs. Weasley placed a protective hand on Hermione's shoulders.

But Hermione pushed her away and rose from her chair, silencing them all. "This is directed towards me and that means I am the one to make the decision.

"But Hermione-" Ron started; Hermione raised her hand and he angrily shut his mouth.

"I was raised to believe in second chances. I will take this deal in to consideration and I will let you all know in three days." she spoke calmly and clearly, every eye in the room on her.

Mr. Weasley and the rest of her friends gazed at her nervously while Lucius frowned. "Three days?"

"Do you need my help or not?" she asked, raising a bushy eyebrow.

He paused for a moment, glanced at his wife and returned his stare to the muggleborn. "Fine. Three days."

"Excellent, but first I want to here the perks if I choose to do this." she retorted, trying to hide a smirk.

Narcissa cleared her throat before speaking. "We...have agreed that it would be best if you lived here at the Manor. After all the bond between you and Draco needs to appear sincere. You will have your own room at the West end of the Manor, putting plenty of space between you and my family. You are not required to eat meals with us. The library is at your disposal. The relationship will be in effect for one year. During that time, you and Draco will attend five functions and appear in public five times in the form of dates."

Hermione nodded as she listened. "Those sound fair. Of course I will analyze them more carefully as I think this matter over."

"We will see you back here in exactly three days, Ms. Granger." Lucius confirmed as the clan stood to leave.

* * *

The next day at the Weasley abode was quiet and tense. No one seemed to see Hermione's perspective and she knew it. Arthur and Molly pulled her aside to talk with her, and though she considered everything they offered, her decision remained the same. Hermione hadn't said anything when they first asked, but she agreed already. She was being given an opportunity to change the view and attitude of three people; it might be challenging, but she thrived on challenges. She had an enormous opportunity to have a positive affect on the Malfoys. But after the decisions they've made in previous years, they deserved to wait.

Ginny had been repeatedly asking her if she was sure she wanted to do this and Hermione said yes every time. Harry had been throwing her worried looks and asking if everything was alright. Ron however seemed furious...he had been giving her the silent treatment and throwing nasty looks her way. He also made a habit of leaving the room when she walked in. Hermione thought nothing of it as he did this all the time during their school years.

Of course Hermione was nervous...she would be living with the infamous Malfoy's for a year while pretending to date their son. The thought of her and Draco together made her shutter. But she reminded herself the outcome of this could be wonderful.

As Hermione laid in bed that night, tossing and turning over this deal, a very important thought crossed her mind.

The Malfoy's were going to have to prove they deserved this chance.

* * *

"You both realize I have no desire to do this, right?" Draco said sullenly as his parents sat in the study.

"Yes, Draco dear, believe it or not, your father and I realize that. But this is not about just you. This will benefit the whole family in the long run. We refuse to live in a world where we aren't respected." Narcissa replied, her tone a tad gentle towards her only child.

Lucius however was having none of Draco's protests. The man rose from his arm chair and walked until he stood but a few inches from his son. His eyes were wide with anger and annoyance and his lips were now a thin, straight line. "I don't give a damn if you want to do this. You will help the family gain their respect back. And if you do not comply, you will be disowned and disinherited. Do I make myself clear?" the thinning man spoke slowly and firmly, a slight growl escaping from his lips.

Draco's hands balled into fists as he snarled at his father. Every ounce of his body was screaming in protest as he muttered, "Yes, father." before stalking out of the study, praying that Granger refused to take this deal.

* * *

The third day arrived with much anxiety endured by the Malfoys'. Lucius was not happy with their fate being held in the hands of an eighteen year old muggleborn witch. The family of three sat at the oak table, hands in knots as they continued to wait, each one of them wondering their heart beat was audible.

A tiny, shriveled elf led Hermione, Harry, Ginny, Mr. Weasley, Ron and Mrs. Weasley in to the conference room. The group of six sat across from the group of three before Hermione raised her chin and cleared her throat.

"After thinking this over for three days, I have come to a decision. I agree to participate in this deal..._if _you can prove to me you deserve it." Hermione sat with her back straight and her eyes narrowed, keeping eye contact with Lucius.

"I beg your pardon?" he whispered, eyes clouded with confusion. Narcissa and Draco exchanged worried looks.

"You heard me correctly. I was raised to believe in second chances, but only when those deserved that chance. I'm not convinced you deserve it. Of course this is something that cannot be proven right this second. They must be proved over time...which is where my conditions come in." she paused to make sure she had their undivided attention, resisting the urge to smirk. Right now, the Malfoy's were under her power. The brunette could not lie, this felt refreshing.

"Get to the point, Granger." Malfoy sneered as he tilted on the back legs of his chair.

"First things first, I want Lucius and Narcissa to write letter's to the families of everyone they've ever tortured and/or killed. I want them to be letters of apologies and condolences for their loss. I want copies of the letters. If I feel they are not sincere enough, you will re-write them until they have my approval. The deal will not commence until those letters are approved and sent. I only think it fair that if Draco and I are dating, the pair of you are publicly accepting; so I request one interview about your feelings of our relationship and you join us in one public outing. If I am going to be living here, I request to be addressed as Hermione or Ms. Granger; note I want the second term used in a non-threatening/demeaning way. I can still visit my friends and go to Hogsmead or Diagon Alley. I will not tolerate the use of the word MudBlood, and I will not be addressed as muggleborn. I will of course be allowed my wand. Oh yes, there's one more thing...you will free your house elf." She spoke with authority and clarity, never breaking eye contact with Lucius. "Do we have an agreement?"

**~A/N: Edit: Yes, I rewrote this. It was pointed out several times that Hermione being kept prisoner without a fight from her friends and the Order was so out of character/didn't make any sense. So I rewrote it with this approach. Hope you like! So I know this was short, but I felt it needed to end there. But the first chapter should be up within the next few days! Hopefully...fingers crossed. Read and review, please!~ **


	2. Desperate

~Chapter 1~

Desperate

Hermione found a strange sense of comfort in Malfoy's voluminous protests. There was no way she was thrilled about helping the wealthy, close-minded couple, but she was a helper...and they had agreed to her conditions in the end. She had said her good-byes to Harry and the rest of them and the power she felt in the conference room had left with them. Hermione felt lonely and exhausted. The reminder that she had a year to spend in this place was daunting. With dread filling her tiny body, it felt nice to know she was not alone. Draco was making that very clear in his father's study.

Hermione sighed, resigning to studying her room. There wasn't much, but it was much better than what she expected from them. She had a decent sized window with a tiny sitting area near by. The sheets were a silky silver and she snorted; Slytherin colors in their home, how unpredictable. Hermione sat on her bed, staring out at the spacious grounds. The sun now sinking behind a hill, casting a vibrant sea of purples and oranges and pinks, melting together. No discrimination. No care for their different colors.

Another heavy heart sigh left her windpipe and she gathered her knees to her chest; staring out at the picturesque scene, wishing people would be more like the sky.

* * *

"I made myself very clearly earlier, Draco. Or have you forgotten?" Lucius hissed, towering over his son.

"And maybe I don't care!" he retorted, raising his voice once again. "Can't you see? Granger is mental! I didn't think she would actually take this preposterous deal!"

"Nor did we Draco." Narcissa spoke up, her watery eyes latching on to Draco's stormy grey set. "This is necessary. No one involved is happy about this...but sometimes we must do things we do not want to do." She was starting to plead and Draco rolled his eyes.

Before Draco or his mother could speak again, a cold laugh flowed out of Lucius's mouth. "What's so funny, father?" Draco spat.

"I just realized you don't have an option other than to agree to this deal. You don't do it, we disown you, your reputation is trash...no one will hire you or help you." his grin evil and malicious. "You have no way out Draco."

Furious, Draco paced around the room, his heart beat pounding against his chest. Damn it! He despised when his father was right. "Fine." he muttered. "But I will make it known repeatedly that I do not like this."

His mother and father left his room, leaving him alone with the knowledge that he was now, as far as the public was concerned, involved with a Mudblood.

* * *

The unlikely group of four sat the same table as yesterday, where Hermione had finally agreed to this ridiculous agreement. Today they were going over the fine details.

Draco looked like hell, while Hermione looked clean and trimmed. She somehow managed to fall asleep while Draco looked as if sleep escaped him. She wondered how difficult Draco was going to make this...

"Now, as for publicity. There will be five events to which you two will be attending together, along with five public appearances. The first of which will take next Wednesday, exactly one week from today. It will be a simple brunch in Diagon Alley." Narcissa explained, her hands folded on the table in front of her.

Hermione glanced at Draco who was staring straight ahead to his mother. She shook her head and returned to facing Narcissa.

"It's up to you two to make it believable, understood?" Lucius intervened.

"As long as I can desensitize afterwards" Draco muttered under his breath, but not quiet enough for Hermione to not hear.

"Get over yourself. You honestly think my 'dirty blood' will taint you if you touch me? Even I thought you were smarter than that, Malfoy." Hermione replied coolly, eyeing him with disgust.

"You better watch your mouth, Granger!" he almost yelled, his eyebrows furrowing.

"Or what?" she offered with a smirk.

"Children!" Lucius boomed over the pair of them.

"I am not-" Draco began.

"Then stop acting like one." Lucius replied, his lips barely moving as he spoke.

Hermione leaned forward, placing her hands on the table in the same manner as Narcissa. "I have a suggestion." She spoke clearly, and matter-of-factly. Draco rolled his eyes.

"And what is that...Ms. Granger?" Lucius asked, trying his best to look annoyed by her input.

"We clearly can't stand each other. And without some planning and brain-storming, it would be more difficult to make it believable when we're out in public. So, I think we should have a three days notice before each public appearance. That gives us time to work out how we're going to act." She spoke fast but with purpose. Draco thought he could actually see her brain working, gathering thoughts and pouring them out of that big fucking mouth of hers.

Lucius and Narcissa looked at each other and thought for a moment. "Fine." he said. "Three days in advanced. But if you two screw anything up...you will have hell to pay and I will make sure of that Ms. Granger"

"I'll have fun watching you try" Hermione retorted, jumping up from her seat. A flush of red covering her face.

Malfoy let out a snort.

"And you lose your inheritance." his father finished, making eye contact with his only son.

Shouts of protests from the younger two bombarded Narcissa and Lucius. With a flick of his wand Lucius silenced the two teenagers. "That is enough!" he nearly roared.

Malfoy looked as if he was ready to strangle his father while Hermione scowled ferociously, her eyes like daggers.

"None of us are happy about this situation. But the two of you need to get over it and soon. Or at least act like you're over it." Narcissa replied, much calmer than her husband.

"You may go." Lucius said dryly, dismissing them with a wave of his hand.

* * *

Narcissa and Lucius were in their bedroom; Lucius already under the covers, his platinum hair covering his pillow. Narcissa stood, looking out at the dark night sky.

"Are we doing the right thing, Lucius?" his wife asked, hugging herself. It was always a bit chilly in the mansion.

He sighed deeply, rubbing his temples. "We don't have much of a choice at this point. Though I'll admit this wasn't my plan A."

Narcissa nodded in agreement. "Will it work?"

"I can only hope so." Lucius muttered before patting the mattress, cueing Narcissa to join her husband in bed.

* * *

Hermione sat at the kitchen table, stirring her tea, trying to get her mind off of this entire situation.

Light footsteps headed towards the kitchen and Hermione stiffened. She wasn't in the mood to deal with any of the Malfoy's.

To her dislike, Draco entered the kitchen, his hair rumpled and untidy. "What?" he spat, barely looking in her direction.

Hermione shook her head. "I was enjoying a quiet cup of tea until you showed up." she replied coolly.

Before she could look up, Malfoy's face was inches from hers, illuminated by moonlight. "You're in_ my_ house, Granger. Remember?" he growled.

"And_ I_ am allowed to be here." she gritted through her teeth. He raised an eyebrow at her, and matched his facial expression.

"Then don't complain." he said, a smirk playing on his pale pink lips. He retracted, fetched himself a cup of water and gulped it down in one sip. "Better watch how you talk to me. I can have you thrown out." his tone was venomous.

Hermione furrowed her eyebrows as she watched his slim figure leave the dimly lit kitchen. _This is not going to be easy or fun_... the witch though to herself as she blew on her tea.

* * *

Harry and Ron sat the table at the Burrow, Ginny sitting across from them.

"I can't believe she did this." Ron muttered, running his hands through his hair for the millionth time.

"Get used to it, Ron. She's living there for a year." Harry replied, glaring at his best friend. "This was her decision."

"_I know_." Ron said, slamming his fists down on the table. "But the thought of her with Malfoy...it just...argh! Nevermind..."

Harry sighed. He could tell Ron was hurting..."You know she doesn't have actual feelings for him."

Ron heaved a heavy sigh, refusing to make eye contact with his best friend. "I know...I just...don't know if she has feelings for me."

Ginny interjected before they could speak. "I know." she said quietly.

"What!" Ron yelped, gazing up at his sister.

She shrugged. "We do talk you know. She's my friend too. Not to mention I'm not blind...I see the way she looks at you." She stated this as if it was obvious.

"Why didn't I notice?!" he whined, tilting his head back.

"Probably because you're blind." Ginny snorted, glancing at Harry who hid a smile. It was rather obvious...

Mrs. Weasley entered the kitchen, appalled that they were up so late. "Bed." she demanded, placing her hands on her hips. "Now."

"Mrs. Weasley-" Harry started to say.

But she held up her hand. "I miss her too. But that doesn't stop us from sleeping."

* * *

Sunlight kissed Hermione's pale skin as she stirred from her sleep. Her eyes fell to the clock on the bedside table and she groaned. It was nine in the morning, and she desperately wanted to sleep a bit more. Maybe it was the new situation and the loneliness but she felt more tired than usual.

Just as she was about to snuggle up in her warm covers again, she heard a 'pop'. Slightly alarmed she rolled back over to see a familiar face smiling up at her.

"Dobby?!" her voice full of shock, chocolate brown curls framing her face.

"Hello miss!" his squeaky voice soothing her ears. "Breakfast?" and it was then that she noticed a tray full of delicious food; the smell wafting into her nostrils.

"Please." She smiled, sitting up in her bed.

**~A/N: Hello! So Dobby is 'back'. This chapter was edited to match what happened in the Prologue. I am still keeping Dobby, though! I apologize for the chapter was rather short, I think...sorry about that! Anywho, read and review!~ **


	3. Dobby

~Chapter 2~

Dobby

With one last bite of her breakfast swallowed, Hermione chose her words carefully. "Dobby, erm, I am very happy to see you but, erm, how are you here?"

A rush of relief flooded through her when Dobby remained cheerful. "Harry Potter! He told Dobby Miss was here so he came to visit!"

Hermione smiled warmly. "Dobby that was very kind of you! Thank you!"

The elf bowed deeply. "Of course Missy! Dobby loves helping Harry Potter and friends!"

"Dobby, erm" she cleared her throat nervously. "I do appreciate your company, but I was planning on going to the library today, if that's alright." Hermione cringed slightly, waiting for Dobby's wails.

"Yes miss! I'll bring lunch later!" Dobby replied happily before disappearing into thin air.

* * *

Nothing but anger engulfed Draco's body lately. Angry that his parents' had chosen their side so long ago, angry that their decision had lead them to now, and more so angry that for the next year he was in love with a Mudblood, and not just any Mudblood, Granger. The girl who had surpassed him in every class during their time at Hogwarts. She was the reason his father came down so hard on him. His own father used a Mudblood to make him feel like a fool, an idiotic fool.

Before he could stop it his fist met the wall and he growled in pain. But soon came the temporary flood of relief. His breathing heavy, he tried to savor the absence of anger. He needed to get out of here, even for just a few hours. The air of the Mansion was suffocating him; heavily tainted with her presence. He gritted his teeth before punching his bedroom wall one last time before heading to Blaise Zabini's.

* * *

The familiar scent of dusty books engulfed her senses. Her breathing relaxed as she stepped further in to the library. This was home to her...not this particular library but any library really. Books and quiet..dim lighting and late nights. Memories of pulling all nighter's in the Hogwarts library and spending afternoons reading rushed back to her. Her stomach churned a bit; being at Hogwarts felt like years a go. And they wouldn't be able to go back until the damage to the castle was restored. They also had staffing changes to make. It was going to be a while...

Hermione chose a plump purple arm chair that sat near a fireplace with plenty of shelves around it. Her finger tips scanned the spines of worn books as she debated which to read. Deciding she would have to keep her intelligence up to par, she should brush up on certain school subjects. A thick book on Ancient Runes caught her attention and she plucked it from the shelf. Happy with her choice, Hermione nestled into the arm chair, at ease for the first time since she moved in.

No one was going to bother her in here. It was just her. Or so she thought.

* * *

Draco walked up the familiar path to his friend's house, part of him wondering if this was even a good idea. He hadn't seen Blaise since before the war. Word had gotten around that Blaise had refused to participate and he wasn't sure how he felt about that. But despite the changes in Blaise, he hoped he would once again find comfort in the company of a childhood friend.

A slight breeze rippled his neat hair as he approached the front door. Knuckles met wood as he waited for a response. Doubt filled his being and he started to turn away as the door opened.

"Malfoy?" the familiar voice of Blaise called out, sounding quite surprised.

Draco turned around, offering a small smile. "Hello mate. Mind if I come in?"

Blaise paused for a second, contemplating the idea. "I suppose." his tone indifferent. He stepped aside, allowing Draco to enter the home.

* * *

Ron had taken the duty of chuckng garden gnomes and playing a fair amount of Quidditch. Ginny was no longer on speaking terms after Ron chucked the quaffle at her the day before after suggesting Hermione might do Malfoy some good. Before stalking off the field she had cast a Bat-Bogey Curse, her nose in the air as she returned to the house.

Harry who was keen on staying clear of Ron's path, had taken spending spare time with Ginny. He quite missed her company and of course she came to him ranting about Ron. He couldn't help but smile when she was angry. Her cheeks turned a dusty rose while her nostrils flared as she cursed up a storm, pacing back and forth. But he was sure to return to a stern look of disapproval in regards to Ron when she turned to look at him.

Mrs. Weasley was still trying to make Ron feel better, but even she was getting fed up. Just last night she excused him from the dinner table for being unreasonably rude to her.

_If only Hermione knew how everyone was taking to her absence, _Ginny thought as she sat at Harry's feet in the sitting room.

* * *

Blaise fetched Draco a pint of Butterbeer and sat down across from him. Neither could deny the awkward air as they stared at anything but each other.

"What did you come here for, Malfoy?" Blaise asked, unblinking. He had always been blunt.

Draco furrowed his eyebrows, trying to find the best way to explain his situation. "I'm sure you're aware that my family is extremely disliked." he began, setting down his drink.

Blaise snorted. "Mate your family has been disliked for a long time now. Tell me something I don't know."

Draco rolled his eyes. "My parents have forced me to pretend to be in love with Granger. To help rebuild our image. Something about showing the world we've changed." bitterness coated his words as he ruffled his hair.

It was in this moment that a woman walked in; long, black hair rained down her back. She sat down next to Blaise and planted a light kiss on his cheek. Her soft, green eyes never left him. "Who's this, Blaise?"

Blaise eyed his old school mate. "A...friend from school. Just stopping by to catch up." he replied, taking his hand in hers.

Draco looked away awkwardly. "Shall I make dinner for the three of us?" she cooed, leaning in to him.

"Oh, no, that's quite alright. I can't stay long." Draco piped up before Blaise could respond.

The woman shrugged, rose from the couch and left the room, smiling at Blaise as she left. Draco raised an eyebrow at him.

"Look, mate, you're not going to like what I tell you. You need to open your mind. Dislike Granger for personal reasons, that's fine, but her blood isn't the problem." Blaise said coolly, waiting for Draco to walk out and leave. "That's my wife, Annabelle. She's a muggle-born. We met when I was traveling after the war ended."

Malfoy started to speak but Blaise cut him off. "I've learned a lot, you know. Annabelle is a lot of things; she's stubborn, she forgets things easily, she's a bit sensitive, but she's not a Mudblood. And neither is Granger. The sooner you learn there's no difference in blood, the better off you'll be."

Draco rose from the couch and stared at his school mate. "You've gone mad." was all he said before he strut out of Blaise's home.

* * *

A peaceful day in the library left Hermione feeling drained yet content. Her eyes weighed down by sleep as she trudged along to her room. She had managed to learn a fair amount of ruins, so all in all, her day didn't go wasted. Though she found that thoughts of her friends had proved to be quite the distraction. Her mind kept turning to Ron and how he was doing...and Harry...and Ginny. Did they miss her?

After settling in to bed she decided to write a quick note to them, hoping they would reply soon. She grabbed a piece of parchment and a quill and jotted:

_I miss you all. Hope you're well. _

_ Hermione _

She attached it to her owl and watched as he took off in to the night sky. Mrs. Weasley had insisted on buying Hermione her own owl so they could keep in touch.

The silver silk sheets fell against her smooth skin as she curled up in to a ball. While she grateful not to be around the Malfoy's, it was quite lonely in this mansion. She was no longer surrounded by understanding, loving friends...Hermione had never felt so alone in her life. Not even in those first few months at Hogwarts.

But then she remembered there was one person she could attempt to talk to...it was a far stretch, but she wanted human interaction.

* * *

Knowing this idea could very well end in a screaming match, Hermione walked to Malfoy's room, trying to ignore her pounding heart. She refused to appear nervous in front of him. The light was on under the door, telling her he was awake. She knocked on his door, making sure the knock was firm and loud.

A few seconds later, Malfoy appeared, his appearance quickly changing to that of annoyance when he saw her. "Damn it, Granger, it's after midnight. What the fuck do you want?" he spoke with his jaw clenched.

"I think we should talk about our public appearance next Wednesday." she said, trying to stand at her tallest.

"It's only Thursday. We have six days. Go back to your room." he ordered.

But this was the drawing line. Hermione drew her wand and pointed it at him. "Don't order me around." she hissed, her eyes gleaming in the moonlight.

"I can do-" he began, stepping closer to her.

She ducked underneath him and stepped into his room. She smirked as he whirled around, even more annoyed with her. "This is exactly why we need to talk about this as soon as possible, don't you see? Neither one of us can stand each other! Three days of planning isn't going to cut it right now."

"I don't want-" he spat, stepping towards her yet again, but she backed away, her wand still raised.

"I don't give a damn what you want, Malfoy. Just as you don't care what I want, right? I'm not here because I want to be. I'm here because we have a job to do and your reputation is at stake. And quite honestly, I'm surprised that I seem to care about you and your family, than you do." her voice was shaking with anger now. Didn't he realize that if they just tried to cooperate and get through this smoothly, it wouldn't be such a dreadful year?

"DON'T YOU DARE TELL ME HOW I FEEL ABOUT MY FAMILY!" he roared, now towering over her, his eyes turning a dark shade of gray.

Her stance did not falter. Instead, she placed her hands on her hips and whispered so softly he could barely hear her, "If you care, start acting like it."

He hated it, damn he hated it, but he surrendered. Draco backed away, his breathing slightly heavy. "Fine. Fine." he said through tightly clenched teeth, not daring to look at her, knowing she probably looked smug, satisfied with her win. "But can this at least wait until morning? I'm exhausted."

She didn't move for a moment. And Draco got ready to intimidate her. But finally, she agreed. Slowly, she made her way to the door. "I suppose." she reached for the door handle and paused. "Sleep well."

He waited until she left the room to flop on to his bed, rubbing his tired eyes. _This is going to be a long year_, he thought.

* * *

The next day, after breakfast with Dobby, Hermione met Draco in the rose garden. The summer sun was already beating down, causing a slight sweat to breakout on her exposed skin. Draco wasn't there yet and though she didn't expect to be there first, it still frustrated her. She sat down on a bench and took interest in a few birds pecking away at the ground.

"What the hell was that about last night?" Draco's angry tone and presence startled her, causing her to nearly topple backwards into a rose bush.

"What was what?" she asked, regaining her composure. He looked like hell again today.

"Sleep well?" he recited, mimicking her voice.

Hermione scowled. "I don't sound like that and you know it. Stop being such a cranky git. It's called being polite."

"I'm not polite to you." he replied, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I'll get over it." she said dryly, rolling her eyes. "Now can we please get on subject? Next Wednesday?"

He sat down, sighing heavily. "What is there even to discuss, Granger?"

"Well, are we going to show a little affection? Or are we going to be very affectionate? And how are we going to show our affection? Where are we going to eat in Diagon Alley? How long will we be out together? What will we talk about?" before she could continue Malfoy started shaking his head vigorously.

"What!" she asked, exasperated.

"You think too much." he retorted.

"Well seeing as we hate each other I think it's important to plan these kinds of things! It's not as if this will all come naturally." Hermione argued, growing more frustrated.

"Alright, alright. You've made your point. Calm down." he said with a smirk. He loved making her angry.

With arguments behind them, the unlikely pair began to plan every detail of their scheduled first date.

**~A/N: Hello again! Sorry it took a little while to upload. I've had reality interfere and emotional issues to confront. But it's here now! I lost the first two chapters (I was so upset) so if there are little things that don't add up please tell me so I can fix them. Read and review as usual! Much love and thank you for the reads so far!~ **


	4. First Date

~Chapter 3~

First Date

"I can't do this...I _can't _do this!" Draco angrily muttered to himself in the shower. There were only two days before their 'first date' and nerves were starting to eat away at him. Steam rose around him, trying desperately to drown his anxieties. His heart was hammering again and his breathing shallow. His forehead pressed against the tiled wall, jaw clenched and eyes closed. He wanted to scream and cry and the longer he held it in the stronger the urge became. His bones felt weak and brittle in these moments, his lungs fighting for proper air.

A tear escaped his ducts and he growled, angry with himself for letting it escape. The pressure was too much. Why was it his responsibility to fix this? This was his parents' mess, not his.

More tears ran down his cheeks, mixing with the water droplets of the shower. He was thankful for that. He allowed his body to sink against the tile, resting on the floor. Just as quickly as the panic had came, it left. He felt empty, numb, and foolish. How could he have allowed himself to give in to those feelings? Feelings were always temporary.

* * *

Hermione sat in the kitchen, thankful for the absence of Lucius and Narcissa. She didn't have the faintest idea where they went nor did she care. The house felt...brighter, cleaner without them there. The Daily Prophet was propped up against the vase that sat as a centerpiece as she sipped on her tea. They were still rounding up Death Eaters who had refused to comply with their options given, and were now being taken to Azkaban, where they would await trial. Hermione shook her head.

As she turned the page, she saw in the corner of her eye Draco walking in to the kitchen, the usual arrogant stride to his walk absent this morning. The look on his face was one she had seen before and her heart went out to him. Hoping he wouldn't lash out, but expecting that he probably would, she took her chance.

"It's alright to be angry at them." her tone gentle, along with her expression, as she met his stormy eyes.

His lips stiffened. "I don't know what you're talking about. Bugger off, Granger." he sounded tired.

She watched him retrieve his wand and cast it at a mug, which had started to make tea. His shoulders slumped, his eyes drooping.

"My name is Hermione, and you're going to have to call me that in two days." she pointed out. "I've seen that look before, you know." her voice a bit quieter now.

"I don't care." he replied, blowing on his tea before taking a sip. "I'm going back to my room, if you're not leaving." he started to leave.

"Ron wore that same expression before he left us last year. Hunting horcruxes wasn't his responsibility, neither was defeating Voldemort. But Harry couldn't do it alone. He needed assistance, and that's what friends are for." she paused, waiting to see if he would really leave the kitchen, but when he stood frozen in the doorway, she continued. "This may not be your problem, but it doesn't mean your parents don't need your help." There was no condescending tone, no icy touch to her words. She was so...soft, and gentle. It made the little contents of his stomach boil.

"I don't believe I asked for your opinion." he retorted, adapting a cold expression she couldn't even see. He left before she could respond, leaving her with an open mouth and furrowed eyebrows.

* * *

Evening had fallen, casting an orange glow on the stone walls of the mansion. Lucius and Narcissa had not returned, so Hermione took it upon herself to make dinner. Being polite, once again, she made enough for Draco as well as herself. Shepard's Pie was her favorite and she had her mum's recipe engraved in her heart.

The enticing smell engulfed the kitchen, relaxing Hermione's tense shoulders. Draco had been especially cold and distant today, and it was starting to worry her. They had their first public appearance in two days. What if he couldn't handle it? What if he changed his mind?

Hermione thought about calling down Draco but decided against it. He'd probably throw an insult at her and throw away his plate. Maybe she would get lucky and he would smell the food and come down on his own...

But as she ate her Shepard's Pie Draco still didn't come down from his room. She felt lonely...her 'hosts' didn't even want to acknowledge her existence and her new 'lover' could hardly stand the sight of her. Writing to Harry and Ron wasn't the same as being around them and she missed having people who understood her...or at least tried to. She wanted to help Molly cook dinner and stay up late with Ginny. But that was all a year away...three hundred and sixty five days away.

The sun was setting lower in the sky as she cleaned up the dishes. Hermione started to put away the leftovers but something stopped her. She prepared a plate of the pie and put the rest away. Trying to remain as collected as possible, she traveled to Draco's room and placed the plate outside the door. On a piece of parchment she had written,

_In case you were hungry. _

Sighing with that same lonely feeling sitting in her chest, she turned and went to her room, hoping Dobby would stop by for a visit tonight.

* * *

The moon was high in the sky by the time Draco decided to leave his room again; his parents had been back for at least a few hours now. The mansion was quiet and he silently hoped that everyone was sleeping. He opened his door and saw the plate sitting in front of his door. Draco picked up the parchment and examined the handwriting. It was not his mother's and his father had never been one to deliver food to him. That meant it was Granger. A low growl escaped the back of his throat and he crumpled the note in his pale hands. _Why _did she have to be so fucking nice? Why did she have to be considerate?

His stomach growled, interrupting his thoughts. His eyes glanced at the food once more and he caved. Receding back into his room, he shut his door quietly, sat on his bed and began engulfing the pie.

It was pure torture. The taste dancing on his tongue, his eyes closing in approval. But his mind was shouting at him; this was Granger's cooking! He couldn't..._shouldn't _enjoy this. But she didn't have to know...if she asked him how it was he would simply lie. Yes, he would lie. He was perfectly good at lying.

With his stomach full, Draco settled himself in to bed. The cool silky sheets greeted his exposed skin. Moonlight shone through the emerald green curtains and Draco's molten silver eyes settled on the rock in the night sky. He could relate to the moon...not alone, but lonely. Surrounded by plenty of others, but not understood by anyone.

Living with the parents that he had, having the life that he had, brought years of hidden anxiety issues. He could never show it. His father would laugh at him and call him weak, Voldemort surely would have killed him, and his school friends would have laughed in his face. He had no one he could really connect with. No one in his life had wanted to listen and understand. Not even Pansy.

He had had horrid stomach aches and headaches when he was working for Voldemort. He didn't want them to return for the next year. He couldn't deal with that. The young wizard groaned and rolled over into his pillow. His body lay limp in the fluffy mattress, the sound of his breathing pounding in his ears. The empty feeling in his stomach growing larger as he lay there attempting to drift off to sleep. He felt full, the warmth protecting his body. He thought of the years he worked his ass off at Hogwarts with no recognition, the ridicule he received from his father for his grades, the time under Voldemort's rule secretly hoping this would be enough for his father, fighting in the war...alone. _Alone should be my middle name_, he thought to himself before rolling over and shutting his eyes, determined to fall asleep.

* * *

Tuesday passed with an abundance of silence. Even the birds seemed to have fled. Hermione and Draco had talked only once, at night when his parents had gone to bed, to go over their plans for tomorrow one final time.

Draco got the irritating feeling that Hermione could sense his anxiety. Her gentle tone and extra patience gave it away. And to top it all off, at the end of their review she added with a shrug, 'Just...think of Pansy when you're talking to me.'

He didn't even have time to reply before she swept out of his room and down the hall.

But now the day was here. Wednesday morning came quicker than he wanted and his stomach was not coping well. He was dressed in a casual suit complimenting his neatly combed hair sweeping across his forehead, only slightly tickling his eyebrows. He waited in the large sitting room, wringing his hands. A slight sweat began to gather on his forehead and neck. _It's just for two hours _he told himself..._two hours. _

A small 'ahem' broke Draco from his thoughts and he looked up to see Hermione standing in front of him. Her hair in a french braid, a floral t-shirt hugged her torso, accentuating her curves, paired with black jeans and nude strappy sandals. She forced a smile and walked towards him. "Ready?" she asked.

"Let's just get this over with." Draco muttered out of the corner of his mouth. "And don't touch me until we apparate. The less unnecessary touching the better."

Hermione rolled her eyes and fought off the urge to retort with a sarcastic remark, but now was not the time. They strolled out of the Mansion and out of the gates. Draco led her to a side street hidden from view.

"Remember our plan?" she inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course I fucking remember, I'm not an idiot." he shot back, daggers in his eyes.

"You're a ball of fun, aren't you?" she whispered under her breath as they turned on the spot, arms locked together.

They appeared right outside The Leaky Cauldron. Muggles passed as if they hadn't just seen two people pop out of thin air. Not a cloud was in the baby blue sky, the sun shining down on their pale skin. A light breeze complimented the heat of the sun, giving the impression there was no temperature.

Draco held out his arm to Hermione, who accepted it, careful not to meet his eyes before she had to. She pushed open the door, both sets of eyes locked on the door that would lead them to the stone wall. Whispers fell at their feet as they made their way through the wizards and witches gathered in the dusty, low-lit pub.

Hermione's stomach was lurching and she began to question if she'd be able to actually eat anything. A blush started creeping to her cheeks as she caught parts of the strangers' comments.

"_Is that...Lucius's son? With Hermione Granger?" one wizard with a lopsided hat pointed in their direction. _

_"It must be a trick! Do you think she's in trouble? Maybe under some sort of spell?" an aging witch asked as she goggled at the pair. _

_If only you knew..._Thought Hermione as they approached the backdoor. Draco was stiff beside her and she could only begin to imagine how anxious he was, he opened the door and they stepped out in to the bright sunlight, both squinting.

Hermione retrieved her wand, tapped the appropriate bricks and stepped back to watch the archway reveal itself. A crowd of wizards and witches bustled about the cobbled, crooked street, all minding their own business. She tried to relax her posture and hoped that Draco would do the same.

They caught a few stares from people mingling but they paid no mind to it...or tried not to. Hermione noticed a slight moisture to Draco's suit sleeve and she wondered if it was from the sun or anxiety.

Just a few shops away, the little café was in sight and relief flooded through Hermione's body when-

"Oi! Think you could watch where you're going?" Draco shouted to an old wizard who looked absolutely petrified.

"Sorry...terribly sorry Mr. Malfoy...I should be more careful as to- Is that Hermione Granger?" her asked, now looking perplexed. The wrinkles creased around his squinting eyes.

Draco looked at her for a brief moment, before turning back to the old man. "Yes, it is. Now if you don't mind we'll be on our way to enjoy brunch."

The old man stuttered but Draco merely pushed past him with Hermione in his wake, a scowl on his face. "You could have been nicer, you know." she scolded.

"He was in my way." Draco said absent-mindedly, his eyes on the café. "We're here."

The witch and wizard entered the café and made their way for a table in the back. Not only would they be secluded from the crowd but it would hopefully give the journalists something to dissect in their articles.

They sat on opposite sides of the round little table and observed the menus. "Don't forget to lean in." she added as her eyes scanned their drink selection.

"I know." he gritted through his teeth. _Damn she was annoying_ he noted.

A petite waitress approached their table, a perky smile upon her round face. "Start you off with some drinks?" her voice was high-pitched and slightly irritating.

Draco glanced at Hermione, giving a silent signal that she could order first. "Just a glass of pumpkin juice, thank you."

The waitress nodded and jotted down Hermione's request before eyeing Draco.

"Same for me." he said dully, leaning his chin on his hand.

Their waitress left and Hermione eyed him with annoyance. "That's the posture of someone who's enjoying time with his girlfriend."

He cringed. "I'm not enjoying this." Disgust coating his words.

"And you think I'm enjoying spending a beautiful afternoon with the world's biggest prat?" she retorted, her nostrils flaring. "Act." she snipped before leaning in and slightly brushing her finger tips on the backs of his hands.

Draco flinched slightly and fought off the uncomfortable feeling that was now flooding through his body. They were both quiet for a moment before Hermione broke the silence again, a smirk on her pink lips.

"What?" he snarled quietly.

"Do you remember during first year? At Halloween? When Professor Quirrell came barreling in to the Great Hall screaming about the troll in the dungeon?" a slight chuckle now escaping her throat.

He couldn't help but smile. "Quirrell was an idiot." Draco noted, careful to leave traces of the smile on his lips.

The waitress came back with two glasses of cold pumpkin juice. "Now what do you say I take this happy couple's order?" her quill at the ready.

* * *

"I bet they're on their 'date' right now." Ginny remarked, her feet perched on Harry's legs. Ron sat with his arms crossed, looking extremely disgruntled.

"I still can't believe she's doing this." he sulked.

Harry shrugged but Ginny sat up and faced her brother. "You had plenty of chances Ron! But right now, you two are just friends." her tone turning angry.

"Hermione can date whoever she fancies...but Malfoy?" Ron wrinkled his freckled nose.

Ginny just rolled her eyes and leaned back down in to the couch. "She doesn't actually like him, Ron. She's just pretending. Come on, let's go play some Quidditch; sitting around isn't helping any of us." The red haired witch rose and didn't even bother to turn around to see if both boys were following suit.

* * *

Lucius and Narcissa sat in their library, both waiting nervously for Hermione and Draco to return. They had approved of their approach to the first date but were terrified the couple would fall apart.

Lucius was seated at the only large oak desk in the library, sipping on fire whiskey and taking a peculiar interest to the sun's rays in the glass. Narcissa, however, was pacing nervously up and down the stacks of books.

"Do you think it's going well?" she asked for the umpteenth time.

"Narcissa, I told you, we have no way of knowing. They said they would be gone for two hours, so they'll be back any minute now. Relax. Draco is a smart boy." Lucius drawled, rubbing his temples.

"Yes but that girl could have messed up everything!" Narcissa said shrilly, determined to draw some comfort out of her husband.

"_That girl's _name is Hermione and I did just fine, thank you. Now if you don't mind, I'm exhausted after spending an afternoon with _him," _she said coolly, glancing at Draco_, _"and I fancy a nap."

Narcissa stood appalled while Lucius looked furious at how his wife had just been spoken to. But the attention was soon on Draco. "What did she mean when she said she did well?" Lucius asked curiously, rising from his desk.

Draco shrugged. "She did fine, I did fine." was all he offered.

"Ah. So we'll be seeing lots of intrigued news articles then?" he pressed, Narcissa standing beside him looking hopeful.

"Yes, father. You and mother will be back at the top before you can say Pureblood." Draco said with annoyance. "I'm tired too. Spending two hours with a nagging Mudblood will do that to you, not that either of you would know." his tone was harsh but he didn't care. He wanted the solitude of his room.

* * *

Hermione collapsed on to her bed after showering. The sun was still high in the sky, but that same empty feeling was still there. She and Draco had done everything right. Smiling randomly at one another, constantly touching in some way, laughing every so often...it was exhausting. But to be honest, it could have been worse. Draco had behaved much better than she thought he would and she silently thanked him for that.

The cloth towel hugged her body as she curled up on top of her sheets. Her wet hair stained her pillow as she reflected on their first date. She had the feeling that if Draco and her actually liked one another, he'd make quite nice company.

* * *

In his room, Draco paced the wooden floor. He couldn't figure out how he felt about his brunch with Granger. Obviously she was irritating with her nagging and touching and reprimanding him for rude manners but it was also...a refreshing change to be in the presence of someone who wasn't out to ridicule or tease him. He still couldn't stand her though...he absolutely could not stand Hermione Granger.

**~A/N: Hi guys! Sorry for the long-ish wait! I was suffering from writer's block and lots of hours at work. But here it is! Their first date! If you'd like to see updates/sneak peeks of upcoming chapters, you can like my facebook page at /laurgroff. Thank you for being patient and**


	5. Quiet Nights

~Chapter 4~

Quiet Nights

Lucius and Narcissa were making small progress in treating Hermione with more respect. They had managed to catch themselves a few times when referring to her as 'girl' or 'mudblood'. But so far it was the only progress. They had yet to make conversation with her or call her by her first name. Slowly but surely, she repeated to herself. After all, she was practically un-conditioning extremely brain washed people. Progress was bound to be slow.

The last two weeks had passed with hardly any change. Raving articles about the unlikely couple spread throughout every newspaper and magazine in their area. Everyone was talking about them.

Draco remained bitter. He paid no attention to Hermione when they were at the Mansion. Sometimes he would go out to their private Quidditch field and fly for a while and beat the bludgers, but that was really the only time Hermione saw him.

She felt bad for him...he had no one to enjoy company with. His father couldn't be separated from his study while Narcissa was finding comfort in her friends, with no improvement on their reputation.

Hermione was fed up with it all. Making a note to confront the family, she walked to a small sitting room; the only room in the Mansion you could apparate.

* * *

Ron, Harry and Ginny sat outside by the pond at the burrow. Mid-morning sun rays hitting their faces. It was Sunday and they refused to do anything. Birds chirped in the distance while a gentle breeze tickled their toes that were buried in the grass. Ron's anger had since simmered and it was close to enjoyable to be in his company now.

A small pop broke the silence and the three of them sat up, temporarily alarmed. "Bloody hell, Hermione!" Ron gasped, clutching his chest. "Don't do that!"

"It's nice to see you too, Ron." she chuckled, plunking her body down next to Ginny. "Harry, Ginny, is it alright if I have a word with Ron for a moment?"

Harry and Ginny mumbled words of agreement and took off to walk around the pond. An awkward silence fell between the red-head and brunette. Hermione bit her bottom lip, wanting to make eye-contact with Ron. The wizard studied his best friend; her hair a frizzy mess on this summer's day, her cheeks rosy from heat, a line of sweat forming at her hairline. He had so many things to say but he didn't know where to start.

"Do you like him?" Ron blurted out, quickly regretting his first choice words.

Hermione however, furrowed her brow in contemplation. "No...no, not like you're afraid I do. He's arrogant, he's rude, he's disrespectful...but he's also quite lonely. Extremely lonely actually. I think I feel sorry for him." the witch spoke slowly, as she plucked at the grass around her. "Am I mad?"

Ron wanted to say yes. Malfoy didn't deserve Hermione's pity, not in his mind. "Just a bit." he winced. "But...that's what I've always liked about you." Those words were so quiet, so drowned out by embarrassment and regret, she almost didn't catch them.

Her brown, curious eyes darted to Ron, who had now taken a sudden interest in a bug on a leaf. "What do you mean?" she sounded intrigued, and for that Ron was grateful.

"I don't know...forget it. It was stupid." he mumbled.

Hermione went to persist but Harry and Ginny returned. "Alone time is over. I want to see you too, you know." Ginny plopped down next to Hermione and smiled. Ron quickly turned away from the pair of witches and rolled his eyes at Harry. The sun was starting to rise in the sky, their skin now covered in a slick layer of sweat. Seizing his opportunity, Ron stood up and mentioned he was going to get some pumpkin juice. Harry, reading his best friend's mind, shot out a quick 'me too' and left the two girls to talk.

"So?" Ginny asked, "What did he say?"

Hermione felt bad discussing these aspects of her relationship with Harry and Ron to Ginny; in a way, they were private. But Ginny was around them all the time, so logic told Hermione she'd probably find out anyway. "He wanted to know if I like Malfoy." she sighed, then quickly added. "Which I don't. Ron always does this...he does everything too late!" she groaned. "First the Yule Ball and now this. He had his chance, right?"

Ginny nodded. "That's what I've been telling him. He's not mad at you, Hermione. He's mad at himself. He just...takes it out on us." the clever witch frowned. "I'm not saying that's alright but it's how he is...he's Ron."

Hermione nodded, absent-mindedly listening to her best friend. The white fluffy clouds floated carelessly across the sky. Why couldn't she be a cloud? "I don't despise him. Malfoy." Hermione said, laying back in the grass with her arms behind her head. "I certainly wouldn't ever want to date him, but I don't want to be with Ron either." She looked over at her best friend, who was squinting at her in the blinding sun.

"You can't control who you fancy, Hermione." Ginny offered.

The shuffling of feet cut their conversation short. Hermione accepted the drink from Harry and sighed in relief as the cold pumpkin juice chilled her throat. The four of them laid quietly, watching the sky.

"I've missed all of you, you know that right?" Hermione asked. A chorus of 'we missed you toos' rang in her eyes as her eyes drifted shut.

* * *

Hermione paced back and forth nervously in front of the study. The entire Malfoy family was in there, waiting for her to show up. Part of her had been hoping they would decline her request to speak with them all, and part of her was glad they had agreed. Now she just had to...tell them they needed to stop moping and actually do something?

Just as she reached for the handle, the door opened and a scowling Draco stood in front of her. "We're waiting for you, you know." he sounded irritated.

She frowned. "I'm aware of that." she snapped, stepping inside the study.

Lucius and Narcissa sat at the desk, while two chairs sat in front of the desk. Draco sat in one of the empty chairs while Hermione carefully sat down next to him. She released an inaudible nervous breath.

"So, I assume you're wondering why I wanted to speak with all of you." Hermione started, trying to keep her tone smooth.

"Obviously" Lucius drawled, rolling his eyes. Narcissa eyed her with worry.

"Before I begin, I'd just like to reassure you I'm not here to back out of the deal." she rushed out, hoping this would cease the worried lines on Narcissa's forehead.

"That's the exact opposite of what I wanted to hear." Draco muttered, shuffling his feet.

Hermione scowled at him. "I've noticed the lack of effort in re-establishing your reputation." Hermione stated, waiting for an outburst, but there was none. Lucius merely narrowed his eyes. The temperature seemed to rise with every passing second and Hermione found herself pulling at her cotton t-shirt. It was absolutely stifling in here.

"I believe you need to take more action. Sitting in your study or visitng friends won't earn your reputation. Draco and I are doing our part." she reminded them, trying her best not to sound condescending.

"Interesting." Lucius replied, leaning forward in his chair. "Did we ask for your help, Ms. Granger?" he sounded bored.

"Yes..." she answered, confused by his question.

Lucius opened and shut his mouth, looking for a way to rephrase his words. "Fine, fine...you really are as annoying as they say. Did we ask for your opinion?" he seemed satisfied with his insult, judging by the smirk playing on his lips.

"No." Hermione said curtly, pursing her lips. "But it doesn't change the fact that I'm right."

Draco, secretly impressed by Granger's courage, eyed his father with curiosity. Narcissa watched the pair with a nervous eye; she had began fiddling with the rings on her lanky fingers. No one had ever talked to her husband that way before. The temperature continued to rise. "I refuse to take advice from you. You know nothing." spit sprayed from his dry lips as he emphasized the last word.

His pale face was turning a light shade of pink, his hands forming in to fists on top of the desk. Part of Draco wanted to tell Hermione to stop, but part of him was having too much fun watching this unfold. She got herself into this mess and he wasn't going to clean it up. Narcissa, however, wanted to interfere but she knew it would only make Lucius angrier; no one bossed him around. She knew the girl was right...they couldn't expect everyone to respect them again if they sat around doing nothing...not that she would admit that to Hermione's face. _The girl didn't need an ego boost_, thought Narcissa.

Hermione sighed with resignation, much to their surprise and rose from the wooden chair. "Don't take my advice then. I didn't expect you to listen. But remember that I am part of the Golden Trio; I helped Harry defeat your precious Dark Lord. And we certainly didn't accomplish that by sitting on our arses." her tone was icy and defiant. She glared at the family before turning her bushy head and pushing open the doors of the study. The Malfoy family sat in silence; Draco wanting to burst out laughing, Narcissa afraid of her husband's retaliation against the girl, and Lucius seething with anger.

* * *

Later in the evening, with the sun low in the sky, Lucius and Narcissa sat in the study once again. Only this time, there was the absence of the smug Gryffindor. Neither had spoken to one another until now. She had many questions for husband but refrained from voicing them; now was not the time.

Lucius had been pacing the study for fifteen minutes now, mumbling and cursing to himself, shaking his long main of platinum hair. Narcissa watched his every move; the slight shaking of his aging hands, the vein that had not stopped pulsing since Granger's confrontation earlier and the tension that permanently resided in his broad shoulders. It was moments like these that she felt a deep pang of sorrow for her husband, an undeserved sorrow to others.

"Lucius, darling?" she spoke quietly, hoping he would answer. But he continued pacing. "The girl is right..." she added softly, her eyes cast down at her wringing hands.

Moments of silence followed before Lucius acknowledged his wife's presence. "Pack your things." was all he said as he stared out the window, paying no mind to the array of colors painting the sky.

* * *

Draco woke to an unusually quiet Mansion the next morning; scenes from yesterday dancing in his head. Yawning and stretching his sore limbs, he made his way downstairs to the kitchen. No one. Not even birds were chirping; the silence was defeaning.

"They left." a female voice piped from somewhere to his left. He turned to see a grinning Hermione looking at him.

"What the bloody hell are you on about?" his tone nasty and venomous.

"Your parents. They left a note saying they would be back in a few weeks. They've gone to do something about their reputation!" she yelped, her grin spreading from ear to ear.

He shook his head. "Granger, I thought you were supposed to be smart. Did you not hear my father yesterday? He's not taking advice from you." he was sick of her already and the day just started. "Go bother someone else with your peppy attitude." he added over his shoulder as he started to make tea.

"I don't think so." she said coolly, grabbing herself a mug, now standing next to him at the counter. It felt weird to be close to him. But he made no efforts to get away from her. "Why are you so grumpy anyway?" she pried.

"I just woke up. I'm grumpy in the mornings and apparently your brain is still asleep." he gritted through clenched teeth, hoping if he thought hard enough she would disappear.

"You know, Malfoy, I've been nothing but civil to you and you just continue to be an arse!" her voice cracked slightly and Draco fought back a smirk.

"Go cry about it in your room Granger." he offered dryly.

She was silent for a moment and for a brief second he thought she had left. "I can just send an owl to your parents and tell them the deal is off. I can and will deal with whatever your father tries to send my way. I have people to help me and defend me. But what would you have if your parents disowned you?" she spat, her face turning red as she glared at him. Hermione waited for an answer but when Draco said nothing, she turned on her heel and marched out of the kitchen.

* * *

"He's an absolute git, Harry!" Hermione sighed angrily at her best friend who was shaking his head after hearing the miniature altercation between her and Malfoy.

"I've been telling everyone that for years." he retorted, failing at stifling a laugh.

She whacked his arm. "This isn't funny Harry! I've got to do something."

After her last words to Draco, Hermione apparated to the burrow and found Harry out in the garden. After taking in his best friend's appearance, he sat her down on a tree stump and let her rant.

"Hermione, listen, people aren't spells or concepts that you can master in a few days, or in your case hours" he smiled at his brilliant friend. "You can't expect him to change in a matter of a few weeks. If you're going to do this, you need patience."Harry patted Hermione's arm in reassurance. "You're brilliant, you don't need me to tell you that, but this requires more than that."

She smiled. "You think I can do this?"

Harry nodded. "Without a doubt. I still think you're mad for doing this, by the way."

Hermione laughed, tilting her head back. "I'm starting to think so too."

* * *

Draco laid on his emerald green silk sheets, his body shaking with anger. Who did Granger think she was? Talking to him like that? She had no right. This was his house. He was a Pureblood and she was a Mudblood. He was better than her.

Sun snuck through his drapes, radiating a tiny amount of heat on to his skin. The tea in his stomach was churning. Let her cut off the deal! He would be just fine! He could survive on his own.

A voice inside his head laughed at his own thought.

_Are you insane?_

"Shut up." he muttered angrily.

_Where would you get a job? Who would even hire you to work for them? Everyone hates you._

"Shut up!" he yelled, slamming his fists down on either side of him.

_She's right you know. You need her._ "Shut up!" his throat aching with raspiness as he yelled again, sitting up.

_You need her. _

_You need her. _

_You need her. _

_You need her. _

_You need her._

The voice continued to repeat itself again and again. Draco shut his eyes, as if this would make it stop. His body curled in to a ball, hugging his legs to his body.

_You need her. _

He let out a voluminous roar, the sound bouncing off the walls, smacking him in the face. Draco forced himself off his bed, grabbed his wand, and shot it at his drapes. They caught fire, slowly burning. Next he aimed it at his bookshelf; books flew off the shelves, pages tearing from the hinges, flying around the room. Deciding this wasn't good enough, he tossed his wand aside. Draco stormed over to his dresser, pounding his fist into the wood, again and again. But still, the anger surged through his slim frame, igniting every bone in his body.

_You need her. _

Again, he screamed. He didn't need her. He didn't fucking need her! He stared at the burning drapes, the pages of books that lay upon the floor, his bloody knuckles. The anger had gone from a boil to a simmer in a matter of seconds, just like that. His body felt heavy, like lead. He was sure that if he were in the ocean, he would be dragged to the bottom. His room was chaos, his mind was chaos, fuck his life was chaos. He was screaming and there was no one to listen. "I don't need her." he said to himself, his voice hoarse from screaming. Maybe if he said it enough he would believe it.

* * *

Hermione had not spoken to Draco since that morning, and she had no intention to. Instead, she had been enjoying the peace and quiet of the Mansion. She stuck to her wing of the Mansion in an effort to keep her distance from the angry wizard. She was still angry, very much so. But part of that anger was towards herself. It had been stupid to get her hopes up high, to think she could fix them, him, so quickly. She had been so caught up in the fact she was here to help, that she hadn't been asking herself how to help.

Deciding she needed to clear her head, Hermione jumped off her bed and headed to the Mansion's library. It was quite late in the night by now, and she was fairly certain she'd have all the books to herself.

The halls seemed a bit eerie as she walked as quietly as possible. With dark walls, the corridors seemed darker and smaller. She drug her fingertips along the walls, reassuring herself of where she was. She tried to keep focus on the thought of sitting by a fire reading a book, along in her own little world where nothing could reach her. The muscles in her stomach relaxed and she smiled a tad, relishing the peace that washed over her body.

Hermione almost walked right past the library, but her golden-brown eyes caught side of the large oak doors. She pulled open one of the door and stepped inside, heading straight to her usual spot. She grabbed A History of Hogwarts (she really had been thinking about the castle a lot lately) and started to head to her usual spot, when a bit of moonlight caught her eye. A fairly large window with a cushioned seat called out to her. Sighing and getting herself comfy, Hermione opened one of her favorite books and began to read. No thoughts of Draco or his parents or Ron swirled in her head. Right now, nothing else mattered.

* * *

Draco thought he heard footsteps in the library, but decided it was just the house making noises. He settled back down in to his arm chair, with the heat of a fire radiating on to his face. His parents were gone and Hermione was surely sound asleep in her room. The only sound was the crackle of the fire and the turn of the pages between his finger tips. He frowned as he scanned the words on the page, only taking in half of what he was reading. All he wanted was to obtain a piece of mind, but there were still faint whispered of You need her scratching at the walls of his brain.

**A/N: Hi! I know it's been almost a month since I updated. I decided to revise the parts I had written and that took a little while. But luckily it cured my writer's block and I was able to write this in the past two days. I would have updated this yesterday but I had a black out and hit my head, so it was best to just rest. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Let me know what you think! Also just a reminder that you can check for updates on this fic at /laurgroff**


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